The Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine and Cardiology (JCMC) is fully committed to upholding ethical standards in every aspect of its publishing activities. This statement outlines the responsibilities of editors, reviewers, and authors to ensure the integrity and high-quality publication of research. Our policies and practices are guided by international standards and the ethical requirements of globally recognized indexing bodies. This statement aims to provide clear guidance on ethics and malpractice to foster transparency, accountability, and fairness throughout the publication process.

1. Ethical Guidelines for Authors

Authors have a fundamental role in ensuring the credibility of research publications. JCMC emphasizes the importance of honesty and integrity at all stages of manuscript preparation and submission.

• Originality and Plagiarism: Authors must guarantee that their work is entirely original. Any work or wording from other sources must be properly cited. Plagiarism, including the use of someone else’s words or ideas without proper citation, is unethical and unacceptable. The journal employs plagiarism-detection software to ensure originality. Manuscripts found to have plagiarized content will be rejected outright. Furthermore, self-plagiarism, which involves reusing parts of an author's previously published work without proper attribution, is also unacceptable unless substantial modifications and new insights are presented.
• Data Accuracy and Integrity: Authors must ensure that all data presented in their manuscripts is accurate and complete. Manipulating research data or results to produce misleading conclusions constitutes a breach of ethical standards. Any false or manipulated data that compromises the scientific record will result in the rejection or retraction of the article.
• Acknowledgment of Sources: Proper acknowledgment of the work of others is critical to maintaining the integrity of academic discourse. Authors must ensure that all sources of data, ideas, and references used in their research are cited appropriately. Failing to do so constitutes unethical behavior and may result in the manuscript’s rejection.
• Conflicts of Interest: Authors must disclose any conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise, that may have influenced the research or interpretation of their results. Failure to disclose conflicts of interest could result in the rejection of the manuscript or a retraction post-publication.
• Human and Animal Rights: All research involving human participants or animals must be conducted following ethical standards and guidelines such as the Declaration of Helsinki. Authors must include an ethics statement that declares approval from an appropriate institutional review board or ethics committee. Research involving animals should comply with ethical guidelines that ensure humane treatment.
• Corrections and Retractions: If an author discovers an error or inaccuracy in their published work, they are obliged to notify the journal editor promptly. If necessary, the journal will issue a correction or, in severe cases, retract the article to maintain the integrity of the scientific record.

2. Ethical Guidelines for Editors

The editors of JCMC play a crucial role in maintaining the scholarly integrity of the journal and ensuring that only high-quality, ethically sound research is published.

• Editorial Independence: Editors must exercise full editorial independence when making decisions regarding the acceptance or rejection of manuscripts. These decisions must be based solely on the scientific merit, originality, and relevance of the work to the scope of the journal. Editors are forbidden from allowing any external pressure from authors, reviewers, or commercial interests to influence their decision-making process.
• Confidentiality: Editors are entrusted with handling confidential information related to submitted manuscripts. They must ensure that details regarding a manuscript are only shared with individuals directly involved in the editorial process, such as the corresponding author, peer reviewers, and the publisher. Under no circumstances should editors disclose information about a manuscript to unauthorized third parties.
• Fair Review: It is the responsibility of editors to ensure that the peer-review process is conducted fairly, impartially, and in a timely manner. Editors must ensure that reviewers selected for a manuscript are subject-matter experts and free from bias. Editors should ensure that reviewers are aware of the need for objectivity and confidentiality during the review process.
• Conflicts of Interest: Editors should not handle manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest due to financial, personal, or professional relationships with the authors or the institutions involved. In cases where an editor has a conflict of interest, they must disclose it and delegate the editorial decision to another editor without conflicts.
• Handling Ethical Complaints: Editors are responsible for investigating ethical complaints and allegations of misconduct related to submitted or published manuscripts. All complaints should be addressed promptly and fairly, following the guidelines set by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). If necessary, editors may retract or correct articles to uphold the journal’s ethical standards.

3. Ethical Guidelines for Reviewers

Peer reviewers play an integral role in the quality assurance process of scholarly publishing. JCMC relies on the expertise and integrity of reviewers to ensure that only high-quality, ethical research is published.

• Contribution to Editorial Decisions: Peer reviewers assist editors in making informed decisions regarding manuscript acceptance or rejection. They are responsible for providing constructive feedback to help authors improve their manuscripts. Reviewers should evaluate manuscripts based on their scientific merit, originality, and contribution to the field, without letting personal biases affect their judgment.
• Confidentiality: Manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents. Reviewers should not discuss the content of a manuscript with anyone outside the review process, including colleagues or collaborators. Reviewers are also prohibited from using information obtained during the review process for their own research or personal gain.
• Objectivity: Reviews should be conducted objectively, and reviewers should refrain from making derogatory or personal remarks. Reviewers should support their evaluations with clear and well-reasoned arguments, focusing on the manuscript’s content rather than the identity of the authors.
• Acknowledgment of Sources: Reviewers should identify relevant works that have not been cited by the authors. They should notify editors of any substantial similarities between the manuscript under review and other published works. Failure to identify and cite key literature is considered a breach of scholarly standards.
• Conflicts of Interest: Reviewers must disclose any conflicts of interest that could potentially bias their evaluation of a manuscript. If they have any professional, financial, or personal ties with the authors or their institutions, they should recuse themselves from the review process.

4. Publication Ethics

JCMC is committed to maintaining ethical standards in all aspects of its publishing practices, ensuring that publications are produced with integrity, transparency, and accountability.

• Publication Decisions: The editor-in-chief of JCMC is ultimately responsible for deciding which manuscripts are accepted for publication. These decisions are based on the importance, originality, and clarity of the research, as well as its relevance to the journal’s scope. Decisions must be free from bias and discrimination.
• Access and Retention of Data: Authors may be required to provide access to raw data for editorial review and must be prepared to make this data publicly available if necessary. The journal encourages transparency in data sharing, in line with the principles of open science, while ensuring that privacy standards are upheld. All research data must be retained for a minimum period, typically five years, following the publication of an article.
• Research Misconduct: JCMC has a zero-tolerance policy regarding research misconduct. Any allegations of fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism will be thoroughly investigated. Misconduct may lead to the rejection of the manuscript, retraction of published articles, and notification to relevant institutions or funding bodies.

5. Privacy and Data Protection Compliance

The Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine and Cardiology adheres to international standards for privacy and data protection to ensure the responsible handling of personal information.

• GDPR Compliance: JCMC complies with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which governs the processing of personal data for individuals within the European Union. We are committed to protecting the personal data of authors, reviewers, and readers. Personal data is collected and processed only with explicit consent, and data subjects have the right to access, correct, or delete their personal information at any time. We ensure that personal data is processed lawfully, fairly, and transparently for legitimate purposes related to the publication process.
• CAN-SPAM Act Compliance: In accordance with the CAN-SPAM Act, JCMC ensures that all communications are clear, accurate, and provide an easy method for recipients to opt out of future correspondence. We are committed to respecting the rights of individuals to privacy and will never engage in unsolicited or misleading email communications. Authors, reviewers, and readers can request removal from mailing lists or databases at any time.
• Other Global Privacy Standards: JCMC also complies with other international privacy standards, including the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) in Canada. We are dedicated to maintaining transparency and accountability in our data protection practices, ensuring that all personal data is handled with the utmost care and security.

6. Anti-Spam and Anti-Plagiarism Measures

To maintain the integrity of the publication process, JCMC employs a series of robust measures to combat spam and plagiarism.

• Anti-Spam Practices: JCMC ensures that all email communications are conducted in compliance with international anti-spam regulations. We only send emails to recipients who have provided explicit consent or have a legitimate interest in receiving communications from us. Any recipients who wish to stop receiving emails from the journal can opt-out at any time using the unsubscribe link provided in each communication. We strictly adhere to all provisions outlined in the CAN-SPAM Act and other relevant regulations.
• Plagiarism Detection: JCMC uses advanced plagiarism detection software to ensure that all manuscripts submitted for publication are original and free from copied content. Authors are expected to submit original work, and any instances of plagiarism will result in the immediate rejection of the manuscript. Repeated plagiarism offenses may lead to a permanent ban on submissions from the author.

7. Ethical Complaint Handling

JCMC takes all allegations of unethical behavior and breaches of ethical conduct seriously. Our complaint-handling process is designed to ensure that concerns are addressed fairly, promptly, and in a manner that upholds the integrity of the scientific record.

• Ethical Complaints Process: Complaints related to potential ethical breaches, including research misconduct, plagiarism, and conflicts of interest, should be submitted directly to the editor-in-chief. All complaints will be investigated thoroughly, following the guidelines set by COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics). We commit to resolving complaints transparently and fairly, with a focus on maintaining the trust of the research community.
• Actions for Ethical Violations: If an investigation confirms that ethical misconduct has occurred, JCMC will take appropriate action. This may include issuing a correction, retracting the article, or informing relevant authorities, including the authors’ institutions and funding bodies. The journal reserves the right to ban individuals who engage in unethical behavior from submitting to or reviewing for the journal in the future.

By adhering to these guidelines, JCMC ensures the credibility, transparency, and quality of the research it publishes, while also complying with international ethical standards in scholarly publishing.